Corny story there Benzine. Never did that, but my brothers did. Me, I just got to spend time thinning peaches. The glaze on lids reminds me of one instructor they roped in for pottery (she was a painter but had the appropriate mumble of letters after her name to let us get credits for the class) who figured she could set a piece inside another as the outer piece (a bowl) was being refired. She didn't last long as a pottery instructor, but she was memorable!

Though I spent many a summer, in the fields detasseling, (Anyone, anyone know what that is?) I was always well covered.

I do! I do!

I'm surprised that you two know of detasseling, despite the fact, that there are a good deal of people in the state, who have no idea what it is. And this is a very agricultural state!

Lol I know what it means too - has to do with corn fields and removing the flowery tassel thing up top... Now as to why I got no clue but I too grew up in the Midwest.

Oldlady - the box is still slowly drying and I have ordered some alumina hydrate I figure the box will be ready about the time the kiln is and the alumina arrives. Oh and thanks for asking! I'll post pictures of it hopefully in 2 nicely parted pieces once its done and not parted with the help of a hammer! Lol

Lol I know what it means too - has to do with corn fields and removing the flowery tassel thing up top... Now as to why I got no clue but I too grew up in the Midwest.

Oldlady - the box is still slowly drying and I have ordered some alumina hydrate I figure the box will be ready about the time the kiln is and the alumina arrives. Oh and thanks for asking! I'll post pictures of it hopefully in 2 nicely parted pieces once its done and not parted with the help of a hammer! Lol

You are exactly right Pugaboo. Detasseling involves removing the tassel, the "Male" portion of the corn, from select rows of the corn. The tassels are left in other select rows, for the purpose of selective cross breeding of two different types of corn.

In regards to your box, if a lid does "slightly" stick, instead of trying to pry it off, it sometimes works to lightly tap the outside, all the way around. The vibrations can release the stuck areas. I tend to use something wooden, as it is hard enough to apply enough force, but soft enough to not easily chip the item. I usually go with my shaping paddle, I use to help form my cheesehard projects.

Lol I know what it means too - has to do with corn fields and removing the flowery tassel thing up top... Now as to why I got no clue but I too grew up in the Midwest.

Oldlady - the box is still slowly drying and I have ordered some alumina hydrate I figure the box will be ready about the time the kiln is and the alumina arrives. Oh and thanks for asking! I'll post pictures of it hopefully in 2 nicely parted pieces once its done and not parted with the help of a hammer! Lol

You are exactly right Pugaboo. Detasseling involves removing the tassel, the "Male" portion of the corn, from select rows of the corn. The tassels are left in other select rows, for the purpose of selective cross breeding of two different types of corn.

In regards to your box, if a lid does "slightly" stick, instead of trying to pry it off, it sometimes works to lightly tap the outside, all the way around. The vibrations can release the stuck areas. I tend to use something wooden, as it is hard enough to apply enough force, but soft enough to not easily chip the item. I usually go with my shaping paddle, I use to help form my cheesehard projects.

Yes, as Benzine says, the rapping will loosen it up, think of it as being like a light tap to get someones attention, not like driving a nail. I used to use an old rolling pin(short one), but have used a meat tenderizer, or even a piece of broomstick handle. Some times if things are persistent, I would soak the pot in water and then rap it-most lidded containers allow water to seep inside allowing a little cushion inside.

Pres, now that you mention it, I have also used a rolling pin, as I have quite a few of them in my classroom, for rolling slabs.

Regardless of what I use, it's always fun to see the student's face, when I approach their project with a potential item of destruction....and by that I mean my fists....

I always loved the look of fear, shock and awe as I approached their pot with the stuck lid muttering " I guess there's only one thing to do. .. .

Ha, I never tried that! Usually, when I'm doing anything with their project that freaks them out; cutting large pieces out of a coil built project to bring the form in, using the paddle to alter the shape, pretty much anything on the wheel, the students will ask, "What are you doing?". I just respond with "I don't know, seemed like a good idea."

hmm this forum gets more and more interesting!keeping my fingers crossed for all of you (who hijacked this post )

anyway- can I mix my own wax - for lids and bottom?commercial products are a little expensive around here

thanks!

If you are just looking to keep the glaze off, any type of wax will do. In college, my Dad would melt down various waxes, and dip the bottoms of his wares. When I showed him the liquid wax, he was flabbergasted.

hmm this forum gets more and more interesting!keeping my fingers crossed for all of you (who hijacked this post )

anyway- can I mix my own wax - for lids and bottom?commercial products are a little expensive around here

thanks!

When teaching HS, I preferred the liquid to melting wax as the kids always wanted to play in the melting wax, not realizing how bad it could burn. At home here, I usually dip bottoms in an electric pan with wax melted to the height I want the dip. Lids and rims I still like to use the liquid. In a pinch when I'm out of that, I use liquid furniture wax two coats.

These rambling posts are so much fun, but can make it hard to find info in the archives....

As to resists, there was an article a while back..I can't remember who the potter was, but he or she talked about a variety of substances that could be used like crayons, candles, soap, wood glue, acrylic floor polish, paste wax, vaseline, oil based creams, and any oils. The possibilites seemed endless. Some seem more suited for decorative purposes. I can't imagine smearing the bottom of my pots with vaseline,.but hey, in a pinch, who knows.

Personally, I never understood why bother with wax for keeping the glaze off from the bottom.
How many seconds it takes you to wipe off the glaze from the bottom of a vessel with a firm moist sponge?
Problem with most waxes is that if this stuff gets anywhere else on your piece, you need to bisque fire it again.
Peel off stuff will mess up your brush and stink really bad. Just not worth the money nor the effort.
Keep your kiln shelves coated with kiln wash and use clean moist sponge to wipe off the glaze in seconds

BTW. Some pots, with lids, got glazed few days ago. All I used was watery mix of kiln wash between the lid and the pot. looks like it worked fine.
Glazed the lids and pots, wiped the edges clean with a clean sponge (keep the sponge clean!), added few brush strokes of watered down kiln wash and that was it.

Personally, I never understood why bother with wax for keeping the glaze off from the bottom. How many seconds it takes you to wipe off the glaze from the bottom of a vessel with a firm moist sponge?Problem with most waxes is that if this stuff gets anywhere else on your piece, you need to bisque fire it again. Peel off stuff will mess up your brush and stink really bad. Just not worth the money nor the effort. Keep your kiln shelves coated with kiln wash and use clean moist sponge to wipe off the glaze in seconds

BTW. Some pots, with lids, got glazed few days ago. All I used was watery mix of kiln wash between the lid and the pot. looks like it worked fine. Glazed the lids and pots, wiped the edges clean with a clean sponge (keep the sponge clean!), added few brush strokes of watered down kiln wash and that was it.

I do agree with you, regarding the bottoms of projects, to an extent. I really depends on the clay body. For my first several years teaching, I used a low fire clay. Wiping those clean, wasn't too bad. But when I started at my new district, I used a stoneware. Wiping the glaze off of those, tore the sponges up something terrible. Using wax, was a much better option, considering I would have gone through quite a few sponges, with all the students wiping things off.

Dripping the wax was always a concern, and one I warned the students about. I also warned them about not getting it on their clothes either. Latex resist avoids the issue, of unwanted drips, since you can just peel it off.

Personally, I never understood why bother with wax for keeping the glaze off from the bottom. How many seconds it takes you to wipe off the glaze from the bottom of a vessel with a firm moist sponge?Problem with most waxes is that if this stuff gets anywhere else on your piece, you need to bisque fire it again. Peel off stuff will mess up your brush and stink really bad. Just not worth the money nor the effort. Keep your kiln shelves coated with kiln wash and use clean moist sponge to wipe off the glaze in seconds

BTW. Some pots, with lids, got glazed few days ago. All I used was watery mix of kiln wash between the lid and the pot. looks like it worked fine. Glazed the lids and pots, wiped the edges clean with a clean sponge (keep the sponge clean!), added few brush strokes of watered down kiln wash and that was it.

I do agree with you, regarding the bottoms of projects, to an extent. I really depends on the clay body. For my first several years teaching, I used a low fire clay. Wiping those clean, wasn't too bad. But when I started at my new district, I used a stoneware. Wiping the glaze off of those, tore the sponges up something terrible. Using wax, was a much better option, considering I would have gone through quite a few sponges, with all the students wiping things off.

Dripping the wax was always a concern, and one I warned the students about. I also warned them about not getting it on their clothes either. Latex resist avoids the issue, of unwanted drips, since you can just peel it off.

I never used low fire clay so I can not comment on surface smoothness. There is no need to go crazy with the sponge and scrape it to shreds. Here is a good video that shows ho easy it is to use a sponge. (skip to 8.20) https://www.youtube....h?v=-1bahCKaqAs

Personally, I never understood why bother with wax for keeping the glaze off from the bottom. How many seconds it takes you to wipe off the glaze from the bottom of a vessel with a firm moist sponge?Problem with most waxes is that if this stuff gets anywhere else on your piece, you need to bisque fire it again. Peel off stuff will mess up your brush and stink really bad. Just not worth the money nor the effort. Keep your kiln shelves coated with kiln wash and use clean moist sponge to wipe off the glaze in seconds

BTW. Some pots, with lids, got glazed few days ago. All I used was watery mix of kiln wash between the lid and the pot. looks like it worked fine. Glazed the lids and pots, wiped the edges clean with a clean sponge (keep the sponge clean!), added few brush strokes of watered down kiln wash and that was it.

I do agree with you, regarding the bottoms of projects, to an extent. I really depends on the clay body. For my first several years teaching, I used a low fire clay. Wiping those clean, wasn't too bad. But when I started at my new district, I used a stoneware. Wiping the glaze off of those, tore the sponges up something terrible. Using wax, was a much better option, considering I would have gone through quite a few sponges, with all the students wiping things off.

Dripping the wax was always a concern, and one I warned the students about. I also warned them about not getting it on their clothes either. Latex resist avoids the issue, of unwanted drips, since you can just peel it off.

A trick I saw somewhere and my local pottery studio uses -- found on CAD, if I remember correctly! -- is to get a piece of low-pile carpet, soak it in water, shake off the excess and lay it in a tray of some sort. Put the piece down on the wet carpet, press lightly, and rotate. Clean bottom and no shredded sponges or waxy mess!

(And yes, I know this isn't in regard to the lidded box, but don't think of it as a hijack. Think of it as... "the scenic route.")